Heart and Soul

05.02.13

7 of 7

Elizabeth Kawalec and Julia Rus

The Hearts & Stars Gala is not a philanthropic evening as we know it; it’s sort of Mardi Gras, Ultra and Basel all rolled into one. The fourth edition of the celebration was no exception. Co-founders Robert Sena, Aaron Resnick, Charlie Venturi and Aracibo Quintana welcomed some 1,500 guests to Terra Veritatis, a recently renovated, $40 million waterside estate that was transformed into the Casino de Monte-Carlo. Once inside, the likes of Jon Beason, Jonathan Cheban and Lisa Hochstein mingled madly as they set out to discover the party’s various layers of entertainment. That included an on-site casino (proceeds from which went to The Little Lighthouse’s programs), a $500,000 showcase of jewels from Judith Ripka, an outdoor display of Frederick sculptures and tours of a megayacht parked by the home’s dock for the occasion (was it homeowner Bill Dean’s? Nobody knew). Headlining the whole affair was former basketball player turned DJ (at least for the evening) Rony Seikaly, which left many guests scratching their heads. “I’ve learned to stop asking ‘why’ at this party,” said one such attendee. “You never know what to expect.” Photos by World Red Eye